Yesterday I read and added a comment to the post "Iran Just Says "No" to Aid From Israel" at The Command Post.
I was thinking about it again this morning. My head still hurts and I'm too brain-fogged by my cold to research this, but maybe someone else has the time and interest. Are there people in Israel who are protesting the offer of aid? The reason I ask is this made me think of the complaints in the U.S. about American Christian groups offering aid earlier this year. I can't remember,and am too lazy to look to see, if the aid was to go to Afghanistan or Iraq. I just remember accusations that the aid was a cover for the Christian groups to evangelize.
As far as I know, neither the Christian groups nor the Israelis have, nor plan to, use aid as a way of spreading their religious beliefs. Christians and Jews both believe that they have been instructed to give to those in need. There is no post script saying, "By the way, use charity as a lure to convert others." It seems that those in the U.S. and in Iran who believe that everything should come through a government do not understand the true nature of charity. It must be difficult for them to understand that there are times when gifts are given with no strings attached and no underlying agenda.
Off on a semi-related tangent, remember the scene in Gone With the Wind where Belle Watling gave some money to support the Confederacy? She gave the money to Melanie Hamilton/Wilkes after being unable to get anyone else to accept it. Melanie understood the value of charity, both in the giving and in the acceptance. Note, I am not comparing Christian and Jewish groups to Atlanta's town madam in anyway except to say that charity is something that can be separated from the giver's other beliefs and actions and it certainly shouldn't be up to the ones who don't need the aid to decide to reject it for those who do.
Posted by marybeth at December 28, 2003 01:13 PM Other Stuff